Twelve years and different roles have passed between bus rides to national championship games.
But the journey for both was no less sweet for Chris Fernholz.
Fernholz, an assistant men's basketball coach for Rochester Community and Technical College (RCTC), helped the Yellowjackets place second at the Division IIII NJCAA Basketball Championships on March 13 in Delhi, New York.
Fernholz, a 1996 Blue Earth Area High School graduate, captured a national title in 1998 when his alma mater - Fergus Falls Community College - finished its season with a 29-0 record.
The last time the RCTC Yellowjackets went to national tournament was in 2006, when the program placed fifth.
The Yellowjackets finished 25-6 this season.
Fernholz is in his third season as a Yellowjacket assistant after a three-year stint as a head high school coach and one more year as an assistant at another prep program.
He also keeps quite busy nearing the end of his ninth year as a business teacher at Kasson-Mantorville High School.
"It's worked out pretty well (with teaching and coaching). I get what I need done at the school. ... It's a little bit hectic, they make it work," said Fernholz.
Fernholz said he is the only Minnesotan to ever play and coach in a Division III National Championship game.
The Yellowjackets had to play three games over a three-day span after arriving at Delhi.
In the quarterfinal round March 11, the RCTC downed the No. 2-ranked team in the nation, Sullivan County Community College (N.Y.) 83-80. The Yellowjackets then defeated the top-ranked squad in the nation, Bergen Community College (N.J.) 84-79 on March 12.
In the championship tilt on March 13, Joliet Junior College held off the Yellowjackets for the title, 94-82.
"It's been a great experience with a great group of kids. We knew we were pretty good. We felt the teams out there weren't ready for our style of play. ... The kids bought into that (philosophy) and we just ran out of steam in the final," said Fernholz.
Getting to play in the national championship game was certainly not the only highlight of the trip.
Ferholz said the team left Rochester on March 8 before stopping in Toledo, Ohio, for a practice. On March 9, the team stopped for a practice session at Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., before the squad took a hike to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., en route to Delhi, on March 10 before their games March 11-13.
Perhaps the only problem with the trip was missing a key Section 2AA, South Sub-Section high playoff hoops contest with the Kasson-Mantorville KoMets traveling to Blue Earth to face the Bucs in the quarterfinal round.
"That night I was texting my parents and the Kasson-Mantorville coaches (for the score). ... I thought (the KoMets) would be a tough out for Blue Earth Area. ... There was definitely some torn feelings there. I try to stay as neutral as I can," said Fernholz, as the Bucs had to rally in the second half for the victory.
Fernholz definitely left his mark at his high school alma mater, having been all-South Central Conference and Sentinel All-Area at point guard, before switching between point and shooting guard in college at FFCC - now known as Minnesota State Community and Technical College in Fergus Falls.
Fernholz also was an individual state qualifier for the Blue Earth Area tennis team as a senior and went to state as part of a team during each of his final two prep seasons.
His father, Steve Fernholz, is the current Buc head boys golf coach.
"I play a lot more golf now than tennis. ... I usually have to give him (Steve Fernholz) a few strokes (at golf)," Chris Fernholz said with a laugh when asked who wins when they play.
He noted close coaching ties in high school helped influence his decision on coaching.
"Growing up with my dad being a coach and (Buc head boys basketball coach) Gary Holmseth was also a big influence. I've always been a competitive person and I wanted to give back," said Fernholz.
He did note there is a difference having played in a national championship contest as a player and as a coach.
"I was telling one of the coaches, as a player if you break a sweat, things slow down. ... As a coach, there is more anxiety, more of (the game) is out of your hands," he said.
This was the final season the Division III championship will be held in Delhi after 20 years there.
"It's kind of a fun experience to go back to a place with fun memories. They had pictures of the winning teams (on the arena walls) and our (1998) picture was still up - it was a neat experience," said Fernholz.
Fernholz is currently working on a health degree, taking classes on-line at the University of Arkansas and is busy with his 3-month old daughter, so what else does he have on his plate?
"It's heavy for us now recruiting," he said, noting he also plans on coaching seventh-grade baseball for the KoMets this spring for the fourth year.
Fernholz said leaving his newborn daughter was the most difficult part of this year's trip.
However, it certainly was memorable, just as memorable as the 1998 tournament.
"Both years were good experiences, we just came up a tad bit short (this time)," said Fernholz.
